Oilers notebook
After playing sightseer, autograph-seeker, and wing on the fourth line, Jordan Eberle said his first trip to the NHL’S all-star game was an experience he won’t soon forget.
While his teammates scattered to sunnier destinations, the Edmonton Oilers sophomore headed to Ottawa. Fitting really. In his draft year, the class of 2008 headed to Scotiabank Place.
One year after the Oilers selected Eberle in the first round, he returned to the rink for the 2009 world junior championship, and helped Canada capture gold.
“It was one of the experiences I’ve had. There was a lot to take away being such a young guy, learning from the older guys,” he said. “To be a part of an all-star game, playing with and against guys I watched on TV when I was eight, nine years old was a great experience. And I got to enjoy their company away from the ice, too.
“It was definitely something I’ll remember.”
Eberle played 13:41 and picked up a second-period assist as a member of Team Chara’s victorious squad. And it turns out, he wasn’t the only one collecting autographs.
“I got some stuff signed but a lot of guys took my sticks, too, so that was cool,” Eberle said.
“When you get a chance to be around the best players in the world, you’ll only learn from it,” said his teammate Sam Gagner, who was one of the Young Stars at the 2008 event. “I know from my experience, that was the biggest thing: you see the way guys carry themselves. It’s such an eye-opener for a young player. I wish I could be there every year to soak it in.”
Medical room clears out
Ryan Nugent-hopkins has yet to test out his shoulder in any contact drills, but he is skating again and would have been on the ice Monday were it not for a bout with the flu.
Injured on Jan. 2, the rookie could be back next week.
“Once he can take the bumping, I can give you a more accurate answer. We’re not there yet,” said head coach Tom Renney.
Meanwhile, defenceman Cam Barker, who hasn’t played since Nov. 10, can finally see the finish line. He has undergone ankle surgery, been industrious through his rehab — even sticking around Edmonton during the all-star break to ready himself for his return — and could be back in the lineup before the end of this week.
Tom Gilbert, plowed into the boards by the Chicago Blackhawks’ Daniel Carcillo on the same night Nugent-hopkins was hurt, is on his way back from his ankle injury. He went for his first session with the team on Monday and will eventually follow Barker back to the blue-line.
“A little slow. A little sore. That was to be expected,” said Gilbert, who missed just three games in the last three seasons.
“It’s been frustrating, especially being the dumb incident that it was. The frustrating thing is that the ankle is tough. I’ve just had to learn not to push it too hard.”
Renney said Barker has done everything possible to get himself back ahead of schedule. He even went so far as to seek out ice for extra skating sessions during the break.
“Once you start skating, it goes by a bit quicker than when you’re sitting on the couch and in a cast,” said Barker. “It’s gone by pretty quickly since I’ve been skating with the guys, (but) I am looking forward to that first game.”
Whitney passes first test
After going for a test run in the game against the Vancouver Canucks last Tuesday, Ryan Whitney was back on the ice when the team returned to Rexall.
He has played just 18 games this season, but said he’s not yet ready to shut it down.
“I’m going to keep going as long as I can. Some soreness is to be expected, but I’m going to stick with it. It wasn’t unbearable the last time out,” said Whitney, who left the lineup in 2010-11 after 35 games to have a dislocated ankle tendon surgically repaired.
Dubnyk will get start
After picking up a shootout win against the San Jose Sharks and a point in a shootout loss to the Vancouver Canucks, Devan Dubnyk will get the start against Colorado.
The Avs will counter with goaltender Semyon Varlamov.
“He did have two real strong games and we’ll take it from there,” said Renney.